Errors
by infernalnightstepper
Summary: The whitecoats wanted to test the boundaries of playing God; in the end they got much more than what they bargained for.
1. the clans

**Idea loosely based on the Warriors series by Erin Hunter, the Named series by Claire Bell, and the Firebringer Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce; twisted, warped, and mutated by infernalnightstepper (that's ME! :D)**

**the characters, plot, and pretty much everything © to me**

**inspiration for this story © Erin Hunter, Meredith Ann Pierce & Claire Bell**

**[you might wanna scroll all the way down, even if you don't read allegiances; VERY important stuffs down thar] oh, and I think I should add that this page will probably be updated/edited a lot, so don't be surprised when I notify you people of any changes here**

**W I N D - F E E T**

_The Clan of the Wind is renown for their swiftness and their level-headed warriors. They have feathers and delicately built bodies_

Chieftain ~ **Amethyst** – small irridescent purple male

Heir ~ **Coal Striker** – black, cream, and red male with the claws of a hawk; half Flame

Sight Teller ~ **Pokutail** – slim female with three red tails; often has a faraway look

Herb Master ~ **Clinger** – small, wiry pale brown male

Senior Warriors _Guardians of the Wind_

**Mountain Tree** – earth-colored male with amber stripes and claws

**Old River** – very old female with six ears; her eyes are very bad

**Ta Ra Kolspik** – scruffy female with a dark mottled green pelt and very long whiskers

Birthers

**Tigerfur** – young tiger-striped female

**Redflower Dawn** – female with a crimson stripe down her back

Warriors _Galeriders, Tempeststrikers, Stormgazers_

**FarLeap** – lithe dusky brown male with incredibly strong back legs

**Dusk Stalker** – dark brown and ruddy male, grey eyes

**Ivy** – pale green female wth white eyes and ivy leaves in her fur

**Snow Paw** – white female, violet-colored eyes

**Ash Feathers** – tall dark blue male with lighter markings

Fledglings _Gustjumpers, Breezestalkers_

**Swan** – white male with pale tawny legs

**Feather** – thin violet-colored female, very light on her feet

**Jagged** – tough-looking red female, long claws, ears of an owl

**Koi** – orange and white male with a fish tail; half Mist

**Yew** – pale golden brown male, black ears

**Cherokee** – dark brown female, golden spots, blue swirls

**Thunder** – dark grey male with white markings

**Hi** – bright firey red and orange female, can breath hot steam; part Flame

**M I S T – W H I S K E R S**

_The Clan of Mist is subtle and cunning. They have slightly webbed feet, thick tails, and incredible eyesight_

Chieftain ~ **Wren Flight** – mottled brown female; as fidgety as a bird

Heir ~

Sight Teller ~ **Seer** – mysterious dark blue male

Herb Master ~ **Rinhoku Ja Hu** – wiry pale grey and tawny female

Senior Warriors _Guardians of the Mist_

**Youngheart** – energetic purple and black female

**Black Dawn** – black male with a black attitude

Birthers

**Keener** – talkative young dun-colored female

**Cloud** – very light grey female, often has wisps of heavy fog around her

**Krela Mao** – shy female with topaz-colored claws and a prehensile tail

**Fizzleheart** – orange and golden female

Warriors _Fogbringers, Steamslashers, Smokegazers_

**Frog Whiskers** – dark green female

**Spine Foot** – white male with spines in his black feet

**Jwa Ko** – amber-colored male with black fins

**Torchtail** – dark grey male with a firey red tail

**Grinna** – dark grey and brown female with the mouth of a piranha

**Ice Step** – ice blue female with claws of crystal

**Onyx** – black male with hints of purple

Fledglings _Smogrunners, Hazestalkers_

**Talunn** – long-nailed silver female

**Sprinter** – sleek blue female with powerful legs

**Flint** – dark grey male with lighter markings

**Grass** – dark green and topaz male with topaz eyes and a fish tail; part Wind

**Skinner** – skinny, long-limbed male with pale grey rings around his eyes

**F L A M E - H E A R T S**

_The Clan of Flame is proud and pugnacious. They have the ability to breathe fire, and their lithe bodies are infused with metal to be able to withstand the heat_

Chieftain ~ **Hailstorm** – ice-blue female with black specks

Heir ~ **Bace** – dark reddish male with tawny ear stripes

Sight Teller ~ **Ding** – black, white, tawny, and brown female

Herb Master ~ **Yellow Stripe** – grey female with a dull golden stripe down her tail

Senior Warriors _Guardians of the Flame_

**Frailheart** – old female with dull grey fur

**Cinder Foot** – pale grey male with darker feet

**Cindercry** – dark grey and orange female

Birthers

**Eagle** – golden brown and white female, talons of an eagle; half Wind

**Myrtlewhisker** – earth-colored female with dark green hints

Warriors_ Coalchewers, Blazewalkers, Flaretamers_

**Rainfall** – dark blue-grey male

**Sparker** – pale orange and dark red male with claws of flint; can create fire

**Smoker** – mottled grey female who breathes smoke

**Voidwhisperer** – lithe male, blacker than night

**Mole Claw** – pale brown female with thick, blunt claws; half Loam

**Switch** – half black, half white male, much like a yin-yang

Fledglings _Sparkcatchers, Firecreepers_

**Lash** – lanky, long-tailed turquoise male; his pelt constantly changes shades of turquoise

**Bat** – blind dark brown female with large bat-like ears

**Sky** – pale blue female

**Ring** – tawny male with black and white rings on his tail, which is constantly twitching

**L O A M - C L A W S**

_The Clan of Loam is known for its steadfast, nimble warriors. They have the ability to meld with their surroundings, and their patience is unmatched_

Chieftain ~ **Squallwing** – grey, white, tawny and dark purple male

Heir ~ **Lame Paw** – black and brown male with a lame foot

Sight Teller ~ **Thrush Pelt** – mottled grey female

Herb Master ~ **Youngscar** – turquoise and bronze male with a scar across his face

Senior Warriors _Guardians of the Loam_

**Whiskerdrop** – chrome colored female with long whiskers

**Creak** – irritable old male with bad joints

**Twofang** – cheerful pale red female with only two teeth

**Heather Runner** – pale tawny-yellow female

Birthers

**Frog-Claw** – amber-colored female whose jumping ability is incredible

Warriors_ Clayshapers, Leafgazers, Treeleapers_

**Lock** – chrome colored male with a chain and lock fused into his skin around his neck

**Spider Wing** – black male with silvery weblike markings

**Smith** – chrome colored female with six toes

**Cracklestep** – big brown male with darker stripes and big paws

**Muck** – mottled brown male with violet-colored eyes

**Wheatwhisker** – wheat-colored female with long whiskers

**Newleaf** – pale green female with darker stripes resembling leaf veins

**Nightfall** – black and navy blue male

**Coldsnap** – pale blue and silver male whose breath is very cold

**Umberthroat** – black male with an umber-colored patch on his throat that gives off heat

Fledglings _Mudsteppers, Earthstrikers_

**Fu** – bossy, amber colored female with faint black stripes

**Sliver** – chrome colored female with a bronze eye

**Singe** – tawny male with black paws, ears, and tail

**Sleet** – mottled dark blue and white female who can make her fur become wet; half Mist

**Hierarchies**

Chieftain – leader of the clan

Heir – second-in-command, usually the one to take over leadership when the chieftain dies

Sight Teller – a seer or mystic. They often have supernatural powers, called talents

Herb Master – has extensive knowledge of plants and stuff like that; healer and poisoner

Guardians of the Flame – protectors of the clan; warriors with a lot of experience and also older warriors who would rather stay at home

Birthers – those who give birth to the young. Mostly warriors, but sometimes there are full-time birthers

Warriors – the main fighters and hunters of the clan; they are split into three equal ranks

Fledglings – young banes who are training to become warriors; split into two equal ranks

**The Warrior Classes**

Wind Feet

Galeriders – warriors that can go out in the fiercest of storms when none else can

Tempeststrikers – warriors that can channel a the energy of the wind

Stormgazers – warriors that can read the wind currents better than any other warrior class

Gustjumpers – fledglings that can move quickly by using wind as a booster

Breezestalkers – fledglings that seek out strong storms or air currents

Mist Whiskers

Fogbringers – warriors that can control fog, to a certain extent

Steamslashers – warriors that use quick, silent fighting techniques; essentially, assassins

Smokegazers – warriors that can read the mist patterns and predict how they will travel

Smogrunners – fledglings that can navigate flawlessly through fog

Hazestalkers – fledglings that rely on using the fog to confuse and catch their quarry

Flame Hearts

Coalchewers – warriors that consume live coals to better their firebreathing abilities

Blazewalkers – warriors that can run through, on, or in fire

Flaretamers – warriors that can control fire, to a certain extent

Sparkcatchers – fledglings that are trained to catch live coals and other such airborne objects

Firecreepers – fledglings that can navigate through live fires and come out unsinged

Loam Claws

Clayshapers – warriors that can control the shape of the earth, to a certain extent

Leafgazers – warriors that can read the flora and earth, the best trackers

Treeleapers – warriors that can climb and jump from trees as quickly as squirrels

Mudsteppers – fledglings that can run over mud or quicksand, or traverse a landslide

Earthstrikers – fledglings that attack from below; experts at trapping and ambushing

**History of the Clans**

Relatively new, the four clans have lived in their territories for a mere two years. Made up of stray, feral, and tame animals used for whitecoat research, these clans started out as simply an experiment.

The whitecoats wanted to know what would happen, should genetically altered animals be let loose in the wild.

They gave their creations new genes and elemental abilities and even gave a few unnatural mutations, and monitored them closely.

Then, their creations malfunctioned. The whitecoats were unable to stop their beasts from going feral, but they steadily continued their research, trapping a few of their creatures from time to time and taking notes, altering or fixing their design, taking more notes, and setting them loose.

The beasts, known as banes, sometimes called errors, were created from almost anything the whitecoats could get their hands on. They had been warped so much, one could barely tell what animal an individual bane had once been


	2. Prologue: Taking Territory

**Taking Territory**

**Prologue**

**-**

**windfeet**

"You think you can just stroll right onto our territory, just because you're related to one of us?"

Coal Striker smiled coolly. "I'm not on your land. It's you who is on ours."

"Wrong there, little half-flame," Mole Claw growled, swaying her haunches from side to side, readying for a fight.

"I'm warning you," Coal Striker advanced on the female, hackles spiking. His eagle's talons scratched the dry ground that he walked. Behind him, Ivy growled and spat on the ground, glaring at Mole Claw with an old hatred.

Mole Claw backed up, lashing her tail threateningly. "No, I'm warning you, wind foot. You can't just take territory like that!"

"Oh, really?" Coal Striker smiled pleasantly, and kept walking. "There's no law that says I can't, is there?"

"Stop right there!" Mole Claw growled, hackles rising. She raised her heavy, blunt claws and flattened her ears, ready to attack. Coal Striker halted as he was told and looked down, then behind him.

"All right, I'll stop. This'll be the new boundary, then?" he padded over to the nearest shriveled shrub and pissed on it, marking it as wind foot territory.

"Bastard!" Mole Claw spat, smoke curling from her jaws. She stepped forward and unleashed a blast of flames from her mouth, engulfing Coal Striker in the fire.

Coal Striker tucked his feathers into his fur and stood there stubbornly, letting the flames lick at his fur. When they died down, he shook the embers off his pelt and spread his singed wings to shake them out. Charred feathers and bits of fur drifted to the ground around him. Looking over his shoulder at the shriveled plant he'd marked, he noticed that it was no longer a plant, but a pile of ashes. He sighed through his nose and turned away, folding his wings back into his fur.

"Well, then. Now I have to find another place to mark," he said, mildly annoyed.

"Coal-san!" Ivy growled. "Let me take this bitch out."

Coal Striker sighed. "If you must. Play nicely. Koi-ling, with me."

"Right, Coal-san," Koi murmured, dipping his head in answer. His calm gaze swept over the pile of ashes, the faintest spark of amusement in his eyes. He swished his fish tail and followed the wind foot heir, leaving Ivy and Mole Claw to duke it out.

Grinning ferociously, Ivy sprang into the air, tucking her body into a frontflip and landing on Moel Claw's back. Mole Claw let out a yowl of rage and threw herself onto her back, crushing Ivy's smaller frame into the ground.

Ivy kicked the larger female off and scored her claws down the flame heart's cheek. Steaming blood splattered from the wound and Mole Claw growled as the heat from her own skin burned her.

Ramming her blunt claws into the smaller female's skull, Mole Claw roared and spat a glob of molten lava onto Ivy's forefoot. Ivy shrieked and dragged her claws over the flame heart's nose, jumping backwards and into the air, spreading her feathers to catch a draft of air. Mole Claw growled up at her, the fur along her spine stiff. She backed away quickly, eyes fixed on Ivy's hovering form, before whirling around and fleeing deeper into flame heart territory. Ivy watched her with cold, calculating eyes, her injured foot tucked against her breast.

Ivy snarled and glided to the ground, before again pushing off into the air with her back legs. Catching a strong breeze, she locked her feathers and rose higher into the air.

-

Koi stood by, watching as Coal Striker scouted the area to see if it was worth taking from the flame hearts.

"Coal-san, I know a good place by the mist whiskers territory. Should we begin searching the other boundaries?"

Coal Striker swiped his tongue over his lips. "No. This is a different kind of mission. You shouldn't even be here, but we needed a good gustjumper in case we ran into anything bad."

Koi's whiskers twitched, but he dipped his head. "I see."

Marking a large section of the land, Coal Striker nodded in satisfaction and turned toward home territory. "Let's go, Koi-ling."

"What about Ivy-san?" Koi asked, tilting his head.

"She'll have gone back already. She's never come back from a scrap with Mole Claw unscathed, though I'm proud to say the same about Mole Claw herself."

Koi smirked. "I see."

Coal Striker looked over his shoulder at the young bane and gave one of his lazy half-smiles. "Good."

They picked their way up the rocky ravine, leaving the flame heart territory behind as they entered the thick, misty forest at the crest of the slope. Coal Striker ignored the prey lurking in the trees, but Koi's unreadable black eyes took it in.

"Why do we not take this place as part of our territory?" he asked, his keen eyes spotting a mouse skittering over the trunk of a thick oak tree.

Coal Striker looked up at the trees. "It's waiting," he replied, sounding strangely wistful and faraway. The heir's words stuck in Koi's mind, but the fledgling didn't say anything. Instead, he shook his head and decided not to question the older bane's vague words.

Eventually, the thick trees soon gave way to a thin forest and tall, windblown grass. As soon as Coal Striker felt the breeze in his fur, he smiled and waved his tail. He rose up on his hind legs and dragged his claws down a tree trunk.

"And anyway, wind in your whiskers is the way to go," he sighed, and it took Koi a moment to realize that he was talking about their earlier conversation about the thickforest.

"Yes, Coal-san," he agreed, smiling a little as the breeze ruffled his fur. Coal Striker rolled his shoulders and dropped back onto all fours, trotting through the grass with his thin black tail raised high over his head.

The two banes stepped to the edge of the grass, where the ground dropped away suddenly and became the zephyr canyon.

Coal Striker spread his feathers and sighed contentedly. "Go to your age-mates, and don't speak of this mission as anything but a re-marking."

Koi swished his tail. "Keeping it a secret, Coal-san?" he asked, not really surprised. Coal Striker didn't answer, so Koi flicked one ear and sprang into the air, sprinting down the vertical rock face until he hit an outcropping.

Bunching his legs to absorb the impact, he rebounded off the rock and into nothingness. Snapping open his wings, air caught in his feathers and he hovered there for an instant, before he folded his wings halfway and dropped into the belly of the canyon.

Coal Striker watched his progress and nodded to himself. Sitting on his haunches, the black bane closed his eyes and waited.

-

That familiar prickle at the back of his neck made Swan look up, instinctively on guard. The sinking sun blinded him for an instant before it was blocked out by a familiar orange and cream-colored pelt. The light glinted off the newcomer's scales as his tail swished back and forth to keep balance in the air.

"Swan," Koi greeted the white fledgling with a faint smirk. "If you keep that up, you'll be paranoid for the rest of your life."

Swan rolled his eyes. "Hello, Koi."

"I haven't seen you since yesterday."

"Hunting."

Koi made a noise in the back of his throat. "Catch anything good?"

Swan shrugged his white shoulders, ruffling his feathers. His pale green eyes studied the half-mist bane before he turned away, licking his forefoot and dragging it over his ear. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"

"Don't be so modest," Feather laughed, padding up to the two males. She turned to Koi, eyes bright. "He caught a falcon today," she gushed, tail waving enthusiastic. "I wish I was as good as Swan-kun!"

Koi looked at Feather with his usual calm, unblinking stare. "Oh, really?" something in his tone made Feather bite her tongue on the praises of Swan's hunting ability that were practically oozing out her ears.

Swan nodded. "Yeah. A falcon. Nothing special."

"Nonsense, Swan-kun!" Feather cut in, practically glowing with awe. "It was so cool. You should have seen it, Koi!"

"I see," Koi drawled, dripping with sarcasm. Feather ducked her head again, embarrassed.

"Thanks, Feather," Swan nodded to the graceful violet female. Koi would have rolled his eyes if he wasn't rather incapable of displaying emotion.

Instead, he just walked away.

Swan glanced after Koi and sighed in exasperation. "What a kook."

"Swan-kun, do you want to share a finch or two with me?" Feather nodded to the small birds at her feet. "I fought Jagged for these."

"You fought Jagged? Nice," Swan dipped his head, sinking his teeth into one of the finches. Blood welled up around his muzzle and stained his fur. Feather glowed with the praise, snagging the remaining bird.

Swiping his tongue over his jaws, Swan swallowed his mouthful and proceeded to rip the head off of the bird and crunch it in his jaws. "Here, you can have the rest of mine, I have to go. I was told Amethyst wanted to talk to me."

Feather's ears perked up. "Really? What about?"

"Don't know."

"Could it be an initiation?" Feather wondered, eyes shining. "Swan-kun! Maybe you're going to be made a warrior! You did catch a falcon, after all."

Swan shook his head. "I'll find out soon enough, but I don't think it's about the falcon."

-

Amethyst was the kind of bane who, even at first glance, made you know that though he was small, he was as fierce as a dire. Swan never felt at ease around him. In truth, Koi was the only fledgling who was able to hold a smooth conversation with him.

"Ta Ra Kolspik tells me that you did well on your hunting assignment."

Swan dipped his head. "I…am honored to hear this compliment from Kolspik-san."

"As you should, Swan-ling. Now, you are of the breezestalkers, correct?"

"Yes, Amethyst-sama."

Clear, azure eyes blinked slowly. "Kolspik also tells me that you are efficient and skilled in tracking winds. However, your gliding is apparently in need of some training. I've assigned Ash Feathers to give you a few pointers."

Swan bit his lower lip and ducked his head in embarrassment. "Th-thank you, Amethyst-sama."

"Excused."

-

A piercing warning howl echoed up and down the zephyr canyon. Feather sprang to her feet, pale purple hackles raised in alarm. Her eyes darted around the canyon belly, quickly taking stock of the situation. As long as Feather had been alive, there had never been an attack on their canyon, but she had been trained as a gustjumper to adapt and improvise.

Her keen eyes picked out a figure plunging into the belly of the canyon. The black coloring and curved, deadly claws told Feather that it was Coal Striker.

"Coal-san!" she called, racing up to him as he hit the mossy ground with a heavy thud.

"Feather-ling," Coal Striker nodded to her. "Run and tell the others…the flame hearts are attacking!"

"Right!" Feather wheeled around on her hind legs and bolted.

Coal Striker flexed his talons, digging them into the soft ground. He craned his neck and stared up at the lip of the canyon, where the flame hearts stood, smoke pouring from their mouths. He grinned in anticipation, spine flexing as he clawed at the turf beneath him. He looked ready for a good fight.

"Flame hearts? Mole Claw brought them, didn't she?"

The black heir did not turn around at the voice, but he glanced over his shoulder. "Koi-ling," he smiled thinly. "How astute of you."

Koi padded up to stand beside the heir, his chin tilted to the sky. Coal Striker turned his gaze back to the canyon lip, where the number of flame hearts had grown by at least four. The black bane licked his jaws and reared up onto his back legs, pawing the air challengingly. "You're very calm, Koi-ling."

"Am I supposed to be afraid?" Koi asked, innocently.

**-**

**-**

* * *

**first chapter! whoop-de-doo!**

**THIS BE A FLASHBACK, hence the big, bold 'Prologue' at the top of the page. Yeah, the whole frickin' chapter is a frickin' flashback, because I'm just that awesome.**

**as stated at the top of the page, this chapter is in the perspective of the wind feet, but that does not mean that the whole story will be this way.**

**so. review if you feel like it, flame if you dare to, and I'm always open for suggestions, as well.**

**thanks for reading so far! :3**

~infernalightstepper


	3. P: Fledglings Today, Warriors Tomorrow

**Fledglings Today, Warriors Tomorrow**

**Prologue (Still)**

**-**

**windfeet**

The canyon bottom was alive with banes.

The flame hearts had streamed down the rock face, smoke billowing out behind them in a menacing tail. As soon as the first flame heart's paws hit the moss, chaos had ensued with a ferocious vigor.

Hi had put herself in the front lines, steam leaking from her clenched jaws. She tucked her wings into her body and attacked the lead bane with vicious precision, her needle-sharp claws sinking into tough flame heart flesh.

Some part of her mind told her that the bane's name was Ring; she recognized the black and white marks on his tail easily. Ring was no weak birthling, however; his steel-enforced fangs dug into her shoulder and his hot breath made her fur singe.

With a grunt, Ring threw Hi to the ground, lashing his tail. Hi scrambled to her feet and launched at her adversary, aiming at his legs. Just before she would have crashed into him, her back feet hit the ground and she arced backwards, kicking the flame heart fledgling in the chin with a hindfoot.

Ring's jaw made a metallic clacking sound as his teeth snapped together.

The ring-tailed bane snarled, backing up a pace and shaking his head to clear it. With a growl and a burst of flame from his jaws, he leapt on Hi and sank his metal claws into her back. Hi yowled in pain and tossed him off, feeling the flesh on her back tear. Warm blood ran down her flanks, blending with her firey pelt.

-

Feather was tossed to the ground, hitting the moss with a thud. Scrambling to her feet, she dragged her claws down the flame heart's flank, grimacing as her claws cut through metal-enforced flesh. Fresh blood spilled from the wound and soaked her foot, and she withdrew quickly, having forgotten how hot flame heart blood was.

The wounded flame heart whirled and lashed out a forefoot, catching Feather on the side of the head and knocking her over. Tumbling to her feet, the violet bane dodged another swipe and sank her teeth into her adversary's shoulder. He growled and tried to throw her, but she held on stubbornly.

Suddenly, she was wrenched free and tossed into the air, landing on her side. She caught sight of her opponent locking claws with Ta Ra Kolspik. Rolling over, Feather struggled to her feet, only to be knocked to the ground again by a hit to the back of her head.

Shaking her head, the pale female crouched low and sprang up suddenly, twisting round in mid air and bringing her claws down in an arc, scoring deep lines down the face of her attacker. A flash mottled grey fur told her that it was Smoker, one of the best warriors of the clan of flame.

Feather sprang away as Smoker unleashed a column of fire in her direction. The flames licked at her short fur, but did not catch. With a shriek, Feather barreled into Smoker, fangs scraping the warrior's flanks. Smoker's forefoot swung around and cracked across her nose.

Head snapping back, Feather staggered and gritted her teeth, digging her hindfeet into the moss and bunching her muscles, bracing herself for Smoker's next attack.

-

Swan hopped backwards, dodging the bursts of flame that spewed forth from Sky's jaws. On the last jump, he hit the rock face with all four feet and for a moment he was vertical to the ground, crouched there like a spider. Then, he pushed off powerfully and launched at the pale blue fledgling, forefeet extended and claws unsheathed.

They trumbled into the fray, a ball of claws and teeth and fur and feathers. Sky managed to dig her claws into Swan's chest, and he had his fangs clamped in her shoulder. They rolled right into Koi, who dealt Sky a vicious blow across the cheek with his hind leg and growled at Swan.

Swan glared at the half mist bane and sprang away, leaving him to deal with Sky. He dodged through the melee and nearly tripped over a lump of dark brown fur and feathers. With a start, he realized that it was Cherokee.

"Cherokee!" he gasped, crouching next to her and trying to keep one eye on the fight.

For several frightening heartbeats, the young brown fledgling did not move. Swan began to nudge her with one foot, and even hit her in his panick. "Cherokee, wake up!"

There was a slow, terrifying pause, and then Cherokee coughed. Her golden and blue-marked flanks heaved, and she blinked open her eyes. At first, it didn't register in her mind who the white fledgling in front of her was. She opened her mouth to ask, but before the words could come to her, Swan was barreled to the side by a large, pale brown female.

"Swan!"

-

Koi snarled, dodging Sky's attacks fluidly. The blue female was getting pissed, and Koi knew that she was fairly impatient. It wouldn't be long until she used her breath on him.

Twin scratches appeared on Koi's forehead, and he jerked back, shaking his head vigorously. Blood spattered onto the ground, and Sky took the opportunity to attack him. A flurry of slashes and swipes made Koi cry out, and he whipped around, lashing his sinewy tail across Sky's legs. Sky yelped and staggered back from the force of the blow, and Koi whirled around the opposite way, lashing her again. Pivoting on his forefeet, he raised his back legs and kicked her solidly in the chest.

Sky went down, sprawling in the moss. The wind had been knocked clean out of her lungs, and she gasped for air, writhing. Koi advanced on her, swishing his tail from side to side threateningly.

With a choked squeal, Sky staggered to her feet and bolted for the rock face, struggling to climb up as she fought to gain her breath back.

Gasping, Koi wheeled round, wiping blood from his eyes. As he turned, he saw Feather crouched behind a rock, shaking. Koi's lips stretched over his teeth and he sneered. His black eyes glittered with exhiliration, and he spun around on instinct, claws tearing across the foreleg of an oncoming flame heart warrior.

-

As soon as they had come, the flame hearts retreated. Watching them flee with a cold gaze, a pale green wind foot picked out the leader easily; to Ivy, Pawpad's pale brown coat was easily recognizable. The pale female's mouth stretched into a silent growl and she dug her claws into the earth, resentful that she had not been able to fight the wretched female. Instead, she'd had to guard the birthlings, held back from the fight because of her burnt foot.

Swinging around, Ivy limped down from the ledge where she'd been positioned, leaving the mewling birthlings to their mothers. Her cold, white gaze swept the clearing before settling on Amethyst. The dark purple bane was limping as well, bleeding from his back leg.

The wind foot chieftain maneuvered around his warriors, favoring his wounded leg. Ruffling his feathers idly, he bounded onto a ledge and stood there on three legs, watching as his clan picked themsleves up and licked their wounds.

A flicker of amusement graced his chiseled features, and a silent chuckle left his throat as his gaze came to rest on the fledglings.

"Wind feet," Amethyst's words rang out, the natural shape of the canyon belly amplifying his voice conveniently. The murmurs from the banes below him slowly petered out and heads turned to him.

"As most of you know, this was no ordinary attack," Amethyst continued, and the warriors all nodded.

"It was a test."

-

"A test?" Yew blurted, jumping to his feet. Cherokee shoved him with her paw.

"Be quiet," she muttered. Yew shoved her back, though he did heed her words and sat back on his haunches, shutting his mouth and pricking up his ears.

Amethyst nodded at the fledglings in the crowd. A gentle breeze rifled his feathers as he lifted his chin to speak again. "A test. How else do you suppose fledglings become warriors?"

A chuckle rippled through the clan. Amethyst smirked. "Earlier today, I had Coal Striker vex the flame hearts into attacking us. Usually, the flame hearts use this excuse to test their own fledglings for skill as well, so it's a win-win situation and we're all the better off for it."

Swan stared up at Amethyst, caught between outrage and admiration at the clever set-up. He would never have expected a chieftain to actually go as far as attack his own clan.

"Get used to it, fledglings; you'll be hearing this speech from me many times from now. Now…" leaping down from the ledge, Amethyst padded through the crowd slowly, thin tail waving mildly behind him. He approached Jagged, and nodded at her.

"Jagged-ling, your ferocity and skill is the stuff of a great warrior. I expect you will be a valuable addition to the tempeststrikers."

Jagged sat tall, her brilliant green eyes blazing with pride. Her short tail was curled over her back and her chin was held high. "I shall, Amethyst-san," she replied, her raspy voice loud and clear.

"Good," Amethyst smiled. "Until and if you choose to take a second name, you will be known as Jagged."

Murmurs of congratulations rose up from the clan, and Feather elbowed the new warrior with a cheerful smirk on her face.

Turning to the violet female, Amethyst's eyes softened. "Feather-ling, I'm sorry."

Feather sighed and hung her head. "I was a coward during the fight today."

"Though your skill is equal with Jagged's, you grew overwhelmed. Understandable, but not good enough. All right?" Amethyst put his forefoot on Feather's shoulder. Feather sighed, but she lifted her head and smiled.

"I'll try harder next time, Amethyst-san."

"I believe it."

-

Cherokee had tucked herself away in her usual sleeping-spot; a sheltered space between a rock and a thick clump of ferns. Her ears were flat against her head in shame. She'd failed. No initiation for her; she was still just a fledgling. She ruffled her gold and blue marked pelt and sighed. She was still a fledgling, and yet her brother, the rude, whimsical, brainless brother of hers named Yew, was now a galerider.

"Cherokee, you okay?"

Cherokee looked up abruptly, faintly embarrassed. She hoped the violet fledgling hadn't caught the look of jealousy on her face. "Hi, Feather."

Feather settled herself across from the brown fledgling, tucking her feet under her body and curling her tail around herself. Her bright blue eyes were cheerful. "Hey, don't look so down. We're both fledglings still, and Thunder is, too."

"Easy for you to say," Cherokee grumbled. "You don't have a brother that, for his whole lifetime, has done nothing but annoy, and then, instead of you, is initiated into the galeriders."

"Amethyst held you back because you got knocked out for most of the fight."

Cherokee sighed. "That, and the fact that I am about as useful as crap in fights like that. One on one I can do, but not melee."

Feather shrugged. "I guess. But hey, at least you're not the only one."

Cherokee dipped her head to the side. "Yeah. We'll get to test next time."

With a cheerful laugh, Feather jumped to her feet and waved her tail. She stretched luxuriously and yawned. "Well, be seeing you."

Feather wove around her slumbering clanmates, picking her way to the ledge under which Amethyst slept. The new warriors were there, waiting for high moon, when they would leave for the initiation ceremony.

"Swan-kun!" Feather called, padding up to the white warrior. Swan turned, grinning.

"Feather! Hi."

Feather tsked, shaking her head. "Now you need to call me Feather-ling, Swan-kun!"

Swan shrugged his cream-colored shoulders and laughed quietly, so as not to wake Yew or Koi, who were curled up back-to-back, fast asleep. "As long as you call me Swan-san," he joked. Feather could tell that he was absolutely ecstatic to have been made a warrior.

"Well, you deserve it," Feather replied, eyes shining. "You were amazing during the fight."

Swan scoffed. "Yeah, sure. The only reason that I'm here right now is because of my hunting and tracking."

"No, I saw you fight Sky. She's a tough one."

"Koi drove her off," Swan sighed, gazing up at the sky. "We bumped into him and I left Sky for him to deal with. I'm a coward."

Feather shook her head. "No, I'm the one who hid behind a rock," she said, firmly. "You kept fighting." With a gleam in her eye, she leaned forward conspiratorially. "Good thinking to dump her on Koi, though."

-

-

* * *

**AHA! t'was ALLL a set-up!**

**betcha didn't see that coming! Or....did you? I dunno, maybe you people possess psychic powers and read into the future or something.**

~infernalnightstepper

**A NOTE~**

**all fledglings and birthlings have the honorific suffix -**_**ling**_** at the end of their names, though fledglings do not use the suffix when talking to or about another fledgling**


	4. One: Initiation

**EDIT ALERT: the 'clans' page and the first two chapters have been edited. Taking Territory and Fledglings Today, Warriors Tomorrow have been changed to prologue status. please take a look at the clans page before you do anything.**

**also, Pawpad's name has been changed to Mole Claw (thanks to Technicolored Moosies)**

* * *

**Initiation**

**One**

**-**

**flamehearts**

Pride coursed through his veins, making him pick himself up and sit straighter, head high, instead of slouching like he usually did. His ringed tail twitched all over the place, as if even pride wasn't enough to still Ring's tail.

Lash glanced over and smirked. "Ring, I swear; one day, your tail is just going to fall right off."

"You're just jealous of me," Ring retorted, and stuck out his tongue at the turquoise fledgling. Lash scoffed and widened his eyes in exasperation.

"_Just_ jealous? Hell, Ring. I'm turning _green_," he growled, spreading his forefoot in front of his face, staring at the shimmering blue-green fur on his toes. "Literally."

"You are such a lap-dog, whining all the time. Care to stop once in a while?"

"I will not," Lash shook his head vigorously. "You know, I really hate it when you've done better than me. Luckily, though, that's not too often."

Ring snorted and gave Lash a playful shove with his shoulder. "Stop trying to make yourself feel better, _fledgling_."

Lash sighed and placed his forefoot over his face dramatically. "And you're _shorter_ than me! That's not right, a high-and-mighty warrior having to look _up_ to a fledgling. Ha-ha! I hope you know that I'm not going to stop pestering you about your height, even if you _are_ a warrior now."

Ring rolled his eyes and rose, giving Lash a gentle cuff around the ear with a forefoot. "I'll see you _later_, fledgling."

Lash took the hit, though he sensed it before it connected with his head, and after a heartbeat, he took his forefoot away his face, watching as the ringtailed warrior loped up to Bat and Hailstorm, an eager bounce in his step. They would leave for the initiation, come back full warriors, and Lash would still be a fledgling. The turquoise bane huffed a sigh and stared down at the half-eaten fire newt in front of him.

As his luck would have it, he didn't even get to finish his meal before Rainfall called on him for a mission. Grumbling all the while, the turquoise fledgling got to his feet and stalked over, the hard-baked ground cracking under his tough pawpads.

"All right, _don't_ make me a warrior," he snarked, "and while you're at it, why don't you stop me in the middle of eating a rather delicious newt? Oh, and let's throw in the fact that I'm _wounded_, too."

"Shut up, Lash-ling," Rainfall growled, irritably. "I could do without your mewling until tomorrow, at least."

Lash bowed down dramatically, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "As you wish, Rainfall-san. Henceforth until tomorrow on the dot, not _one_ word will pass over my tongue."

-

"Bat, step forward."

The blind female bane did as she was told, and flicked her large ears. Ring sat a little ways away, looking on intently, his tail twitching around his paws. Bat stood on the hard, cold floor of the cave, chin raised, tail-tip brushing the ground. Her blind eyes were wide and unblinking.

Hailstorm sat before her, a thin length of iron between her forepaws. Her intelligent eyes glittered in the dim cave light. "This will hurt, but only a little," she cautioned, rising to her feet. "Please tilt your head toward me."

Bat did as she was told, lowering her head. Hailstorm stretched her neck and touched Bat's ear with her nose, murming something to the blind bane that Ring couldn't quite catch.

Hailstorm leaned forward quickly and Bat stiffened for an instant. Ring jumped, surprised at the sudden movement. After a heartbeat, Hailstorm withdrew, pleased with her work. Where she'd bitten Bat, there was a cleanly punched hole in the bane's ear.

Hailstorm turned away and spat a burst of fire onto the thin iron rod, again and again until it glowed a faint red. Using her dexterous foreclaws, the chieftain plucked the piece of metal from the ground and swiveled on three legs until she was face-to-face with Bat once more.

Sliding the thin piece of iron into the freshly made hole in the base of Bat's ear, the chieftain carefully twisted the two ends of the rod until it made an oval, and then she spat a little molten flame onto the ends of the iron and fused them together.

Stepping back, the female spoke again. "Come forward four paces and dip your ear into the mere."

Indeed, there was a pool there, clear and cold. Bat submerged her pierced ear as told, and then drew back at Hailstorm's command, and Hailstorm smiled. "Well done, Bat. You are now a full warrior of the clan of the flame."

Bat dipped her head and backed away, sitting down beside Ring. Ring could feel the female's pride coming off of her in waves. Bat turned her head toward the ringtailed bane and smiled encouragingly. "Get up there, Ring."

Flashing her a grin he knew she couldn't see, Ring jumped to his feet and trotted up to the mere, his eagerness causing Hailstorm to smile.

"Tilt your head, Ring."

Obeying, Ring held himself still, managing to keep everything but the tip of his tail from twitching. Hailstorm touched her nose to his ear.

"I'm proud of you, Ring."

Then fangs pierced a hole through Ring's ear, and his warrior initiation had begun.

-

Sky sat with the birthlings and rested her injured shoulder while their mothers stretched their legs. Of the six young banes, only three had gained their fledgling names. Spit, the pale golden brown and black male, was the offspring of the half-wind Eagle. Thysk, the brown and grey female, and her brother Glider, who was a dark blue-green color, were of Myrtlewhisker's litter.

The pale blue fledgling was usually rather prickly, but when she was around birthlings, her antisocial exterior would drop and she would even smile and laugh, something she never did around any other bane.

"Hunting time, Sky-ling."

Snapped out of her thoughts, Sky's head swiveled around and her eyes fixed coldly on the lanky, ink-black warrior. "As you command, master," she sneered, rising to her feet abruptly.

Voidwhisperer sneered back at her. "Good. Now move it."

Sky cast an apologetic glance at the birthlings, who mewled in dissappointment. "Sky! Sky! Will you play with us later?" Thysk pleaded, bouncing up on her toes.

Sky smiled. "I don't think I can," she replied, sounding regretful. "Maybe tomorrow, I'll show you how to catch a fire newt."

Voidwhisperer sighed irritably and rapped her shoulder with his tail as he stalked past her. "Let's _go_, Sky-ling."

The blue female lifted her lip briefly in a snarl, but ducked her head and followed the ink-black warrior, her tail twitching irritably. "Where to, O great leader?" she asked, sarcastically. Voidwhisperer did not turn around as he spoke, taking on a tone laced with scorn.

"Well, first, let's go try to find where your good side has run off too. Oh wait, I remember now; it _died_."

"One day," Sky growled, flexing her claws. "One day, you will beg me for help. And I will laugh."

-

Voidwhisperer lashed out his forepaw and caught the snake a blow to the head, knocking it to the ground. Pouncing on it, he sank his fangs into its neck and killed it.

"Oh, very well done," Sky spat, sitting on her haunches a little ways away. "I suppose you'll be eating _all_ of that, being the gluttonous son of a worm that you are."

"You're so smart," Voidwhisperer snarked, tearing off the head with his powerful jaws. Sky sneered and looked away quickly to prevent her belly from rumbling. Voidwhisperer set to work crunching the head between his teeth. "Poor Sky-ling. Hoping some of _my_snake will suddenly detach itself and fly over to you? Nice try. Go get your own prey."

"What if I'm not hungry?" Sky snapped.

"Okay, I'll just chew in your ear until you admit that you want some."

Sky gitted her teeth. "Have fun, just don't spit on me."

Voidwhisperer sat just behind the fledgling and started chewing very loudly, making sure to wave the decapitated snake in front of her face as often as possible. Sky ignored him, or tried to, and almost succeeded.

"Give me the damn thing," Sky growled, snatching the snake.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah," Voidwhisperer tutted, pinning the snake to the ground swiftly with a forepaw. "This is mine, fledgling."

"You taunt me with snake, so give me snake," Sky growled, claws locked into the serpent's tail. Voidwhisperer snickered.

"Fine, fine. Next time, I want to see you actually catch something."

"I'm going to rip out your tongue," Sky muttered, slicing the snake in two with a razor-sharp foreclaw. Voidwhisperer snickered and snatched up the bigger half of the serpent before Sky could do anything. He retreated behind a rock and ripped it apart, wolfing it down faster than Sky could say "Voidwhisperer, you greedy bastard."

-

Bat picked her way down the rocky slope, her large bat ears swiveling constantly. In front of her was Hailstorm, and behind her was Ring. She knew this because Ring could always be identified by the constant swishing of his tail.

The band of metal in her ear felt strange; foreign, even though most of her body was made up of metal itself. Bat tossed her head proudly, liking the feel of the thin metal band bouncing against her skin. It would have to take some getting used to, but it felt good in her ear, reminding her that she was now a flame heart warrior.

Behind her, Ring placed a foot wrong and yelped when he realized that he'd stepped into a steam pit. Bat chuckled under her breath, and Ring muttered profanities at the aforementioned pit.

Ring licked his injured foot, whimpering. Though his pawpads were thick and the metal in his body protected him from lethal damage, the hot steam had still scorched his paw. He knew Bat was laughing at him; he could see her shoulders shaking. Ring growled under his breath, limping on three legs down the rocky slope.

Something made him stop short. There was something in the air. Raising his head, Ring's nostrils flared as he breathed in the scents of the newcomers, and his lip curled.

"Loam claws," he muttered. Bat froze, her large ears swiveling to pick up sound. Up front, Hailstorm halted and pivoted slowly, alert. A low, threatening growl ripped itself from her throat, and she raised one forefoot in the warning position.

"Stay your claws. We're not here for a fight." A black and brown bane detached itself from a rock and padded down the slope on three feet, one of its back paws dragging in the dust.

Hailstorm relaxed gradually, lowering her hackles and her forefoot. "Lame Paw. And Spider Wing," she nodded to the black and silver bane that trailed behind the crippled loam claw heir. "What are you doing in flame heart territory?"

"Passing through," Lame Paw answered, a random burst of hot air from a nearby steam pit ruffling his fur. "Spider Wing felt a tribe of unicorns approaching from the thickforests, and we wanted to check it out."

Hailstorm's ear flicked, betraying her interest. "Unicorns? There were unicorns here when I was a fledgling, but then they dissappeared."

"It's the same tribe," Spider Wing spoke up, his tail bristling eagerly.

"Is it? When you travel back, drop by and tell me about it."

Lame Paw cocked his head. "Want to come with?" he asked, indicating Spider Wing and himself. Hailstorm shook her head.

"No. The flame hearts need to congratulate their new warriors."

Lame Paw's ears perked up, and his eyes flicked from Bat to Ring, and then back to Hailstorm. "Indeed? My, you two must have really done exemplary work. Hailstorm-san is not usually so kind as to admit more than one fledgling," the crippled bane flashed a cheeky smile at the ice blue chieftain. Ring smothered a snort.

"Oh, we know that," he muttered under his breath. Bat chuckled.

"Oh, shut up, Lame-kun," Hailstorm rolled her eyes, though was unable to keep a small smile from her face. "I'd rather you not give my warriors ideas about me. Now, get out."

Lame Paw dipped his head and wheeled around, brushing past Spider Wing. "Come, Spider Wing. Let's not test the great Hailstorm's patience."

-

-

* * *

**finally, the first chapter, and it's from the flame hearts' points of view! WHEEEE!**

**A bit of backstory here, if you pay attention.**

**And yes, there are unicorns and fire newts. However, they are not the kind of unicorns and fire newts that you think you know from mythology and legend. These, like the banes, are mutations.**

**...but, I'll get into that later.**

~ins


	5. Two: Eyes and Footsteps

**EDIT ALERT: the clans page has been updated once again. Specifically, the Hierarchies section. please take a look.**

* * *

**Eyes and Footsteps**

**Two**

**-**

**loamclaws**

The sleek black figure slipped around the roots of a huge, gnarled oak tree, his pelt blending with the shadows. Bright silver eyes flickered, catching a beam of light. Flinching away from the light, Spider Wing hunkered down in the shade and dug his claws deep into the soft ground.

_As a loam claw, blending with your environment is second nature. Melding with it, while demanding a higher level of focus and control than anything, is easier than blending._

_Blending is simply concealing oneself, much like a chameleon. Melding occurs when one extends part of their soul to another living organism._

Spider Wing shifted his weight and silently let out the breath he'd been holding in his lungs. His muscles relaxed at once and he gave a little jerk as he breathed out his soul.

_When you extend your soul, one must remain relaxed, but not completely limp. Breathe out. Breathe until there is no longer air left within your chest._

_Stretch your soul until it reaches your target, and slowly fill your lungs._

Free from the confines of his body, Spider Wing's soul stretched and twisted and expanded until it enveloped the tree whose roots he hid amongst. His slow intake of breath forced his soul to contract around the oak and seep into its core.

The black and silver bane closed his eyes and sank his claws into the ground. He felt the roots of the tree–his roots–in the back of his mind.

Using his roots to feel the ground, Spider Wing concentrated intently, stretching the roots with his mind, searching for even the faintest traces of unicorn hoofbeats.

_There_.

But these weren't hoofbeats.

Spider Wing, the best listener in the clan of loam, knew hoofbeats; they felt hollow and they resonated through the earth; they sounded like when you knocked on a tree limb with your ear against it. No, these were footsteps.

Pawsteps, even. Footsteps would be louder, more definite, and sharper. Pawsteps…yes, these were definitely pawsteps that Spider Wing was feeling.

Steps so soft, they were barely a tickle in the earth.

Spider Wing stiffened. This couldn't be Lame Paw; there was no irregularity in the steps; no crippled leg. Whoever it was was definitely not of the loam claws. Spider Wing knew every single one of his clanmates' footsteps, and this…this was not one of them.

-

"No, no, _no_. Dodge first, and _then_ counterattack," a mottled brown forefoot came down on Fu's ear sharply, and Fu recoiled with a little mewl of surprise, narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

"Yes, Muck-san," she muttered, ducking her head quickly. Muck spat on the ground, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"Right. Let's try this again. Attack me!"

Fu gathered her legs beneath her, bunching her powerful muscles, and sprang at the small warrior, foreclaws outstretched. Muck sidestepped quickly and wheeled around on his back legs, bringing his forepaws down on Fu's hind legs, making her stumble. The tiger-striped fledgling dug her claws into the ground and spun around, launching herself at the warrior.

Muck sprang at her, throwing himself into the fledgling's stomach, sending her to the ground from the sheer force of the collision. Landing lightly on his feet, he charged at the young bane and swiped at her nose. In ab urst of rushed energy, Fu jumped forward as Muck's forepaw swung around and thunked against her flank, sending her tumbling to the ground and into a clump of weeds.

Irritated, Muck landed lightly on his feet and flexed his forepaw, ears back. He shook his head and prowled across the small clearing to where Fu was sprawled, winded.

"How many times will I have to say this?" Muck muttered, tail twitching as he sat on his haunches. "Get up, Fu-ling."

Fu spat, rising to her feet and shaking her pelt free of dirt and leaves. "I'm doing _fine_," she growled.

"As if," Muck snapped. "Your movements are clumsy, and let's face it, you're all over the place. There is no thought or focus in your fighting. You're still attacking instead of dodging! Keep doing that, and you'll end up a dead fledgling."

Fu bristled, ears flat to her skull. "You just yell at me!" she hissed. "You don't _help_ me!"

Muck snarled. "What, are you still a birthling? Should I _tell_ you _exactly_ what to do?" The mottled brown bane made an exasperated noise in his throat. "Look, if you don't like my training style, go to some other warrior and spare me your whining."

"I…" Fu trailed off, dropping her head. Her tail drooped and her hackles lay flat.

With a hard gleam in his eyes, Muck rose to his feet. "I'll tell Squallwing that you wish to train with someone else."

The orange and tiger-striped fledgling flinched and shook her head vigorously, staring fixedly at the ground. "No. Please, don't." the way her teeth were gritted made it sound as if she was in pain. Muck smirked to himself; he knew why Fu did not want another warrior to train her.

The brown warrior hesitated, cold violet eyes boring into Fu's forehead. He nodded slowly then, and folded his hind legs under him, coiling his tail neatly around his forefeet. "If I am to keep training you, then _do not_ complain to me."

Fu's ears twitched as they lay flat against her skull. "Thank you, Muck-san," she mumbled, raising her eyes from the ground to the warrior's face. The mottled brown bane sighed and stood up abruptly.

"On your feet, fledgling," he growled. "We begin again."

The tiger-striped fledgling started to her feet, staring fixedly at the gound between her forefeet, her jaw set. To her surprise and chagrin, she felt Muck's tail tip knock against her chin, making her raise her head.

"I said; _we begin again_," the brown warrior sounded exasperated. "Do not test my patience."

Fu nodded sharply, and sprang into the air without warning. Muck skittered backwards quickly in surprise, and was thrown to the ground as Fu thundered down on top of him, putting all of her weight into her feet.

With a grunt, Muck sprawled onto his side in a shower of dirt. Carried by her momentum, Fu catapulted forward and went head over tail into a clump of ferns. Twisting her body quickly, she sprang to her feet and burst out of the ferns, only to skid to a sudden stop.

Eyes. Eyes in the shadows.

Was that…?

But Fu didn't have time to look closer; Muck barreled into her and pinned her to the ground. Fu felt a sudden burst of annoyance; hadn't he seen the eyes? Wasn't he supposed to be the keenest warrior in the clan of loam?

"That was good," Muck growled. "Your surprise attacks are getting better."

"Thank you, Muck-san," Fu muttered, pride making her want to smile. It wasn't easy to draw out praise from the grumpy warrior. Muck released Fu, walking backwards several steps to allow her to sit up.

"Right. Attack me again."

Fu bunched her muscles, tail lashing eagerly; Muck's praise brightening her mood considerably; the strange eyes had fled her mind.

-

The old tree was gnarled, but it still grew tall and sturdy; it was the roots of this tree that Youngscar, herb master of the loam claws, had chosen as his own, to store the dried herbs and to make his den. The roots were above ground level, leaving a cave under the trunk of the tree just big enough for an average-sized bane.

Thrush Pelt flicked her tail ruefully as she gazed up at the tree. She exhaled quietly and dropped her eyes to the base of the trunk, reluctant to enter. Sight tellers and herb masters were naturally at odds, and Thrush Pelt and Youngscar's rivalry went beyond a simple dispute between titles.

No, this went way back. Thrush Pelt narrowed her eyes. She didn't like to talk to Youngscar if she could help it; it made her uneasy just to be around him. But…he could help. He could help…only, Thrush Pelt wasn't entirely sure what it was he could help with.

The grey mottled bane growled and clawed the soil beneath her with a forepaw. She needed answers, and the only one who could answer her was Youngscar.

The question was, _would_ he help her, or not? After all, he had more reason to hate her than she did him.

Thrush Pelt silenced herself. What was she doing, loitering around like a nervous birthling? The only good way to get answers was to go ahead and ask.

And then, if that didn't work, to drop in later and do some spying.

"Youngscar,"

"Hm?" Youngscar raised his head to glance up into the mottled grey female's anxious face. "What is it _now_, Thrush Pelt?"

Thrush Pelt scuffed her forefeet in the dirt. "I…uh…I had a premonition."

"Well, congrats," Youngscar rolled his eyes. "Want me to dance for joy?" he scoffed at the sight teller and went back to crushing some strange, dried-out root into a fine powder. Thrush Pelt frowned.

"Look, I know you herb masters don't like sight tellers, but can't you hear me out on this one?"

Youngscar sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I'm all ears."

Thrush Pelt sent him a warning look, which he ignored, and took a breath. "I saw a pair of eyes."

Silence.

Youngscar squinted one eye skeptically. "You saw a pair of eyes," he muttered, and repeated himself several times. Then; "What, that's _it_? No prophecy? No divine presence? No witchcraft? No spontaneous combustion of _any sort_?" the turquoise and bronze male scoffed. "What kind of premonition is _that_?"

Thrush Pelt bristled. "They do not have to be complicated to be premonitions," she snapped, defensively. This was not going the way she'd planned. Youngscar snorted.

"How do you know it wasn't a dream?"

"I was _awake_, genius," Thrush Pelt deadpanned, ear flicking irritably.

"Well, how…"

"Enough!" Thrush Pelt growled, her blood red eyes flashing dangerously.

"Ow!" Youngscar flinched and shied away from her, ears flat against his skull. He knew all too well what the sight teller's eyes could do. "Thrush Pelt!"

Thrush Pelt blinked quickly and looked away; preventing her talent from going too far. She bristled in discomfort. "Sorry. I…didn't mean to do that."

Youngscar snarled. "Don't…_ever_…use that talent on me. You did it once, and that was quite enough." With a sharp swish of his tail, the herb master whirled around and wrapped his foreclaws around the heavy stone he'd been using to crush the root. "You can go figure out your stupid vision on your own."

Thrush Pelt's ears flicked back and she sighed, turning her back on the young turquoise and bronze herb master. She closed her eyes briefly, before shaking herself gently and vacating the roots of the huge tree.

Gazing up at the patches of sky that she could see between the trees, Thrush Pelt inhaled deeply. "Those eyes…I wonder what that could mean…" she sat on her haunches and stared at the clouds, scampering across the pale blue above. The mottled sight teller scowled. "Stupid herb master…trust Youngscar to hold such a grudge. If he wasn't so damn hotheaded, he could help me figure it out…"

And then Thrush Pelt hung her head. "Ah, who am I kidding?" she grumbled. "Hotheaded, my haunches. It's all because of my stupid talent. Still…" the sight teller looked up as the image from her vision flashed into her mind.

"I wish I knew what those damn eyes meant."

-

-

* * *

**sorry that it took a while for me to update; hit a minor writer's block.**

**WHEE! a new p.o.v.! the loam claws speak! 8D**

**as always, feel free to give suggestions and/or concrit.**

~ins


End file.
